MotorcycleJazz - Acerbis

Acerbis CRF450X 4.75 Gallon (18L) Fuel Tank

by Martin Hackworth

Photos: Martin Hackworth

Stock dirt bike tanks are getting smaller and smaller - which is fine if you intend to spend all of your time on a track or limiting your backwoods sorties to 40 miles or less. That isn't us. Much of our time is spend deep in the mountains or desert where a 40 mile range just won't do. The stock tank on our MoJazz CRF450X provided barely enough range for an afternoon in the mountains right above MoJazz headquarters. So we replaced it with an Acerbis 4.75 gallon desert fuel tank and after several months of extensive trail riding and racing we could not be happier with the outcome.

We've always been fans of Acerbis plastic. Their tanks, handguards and skid plates are generally very tough, durable and reasonably priced. This fuel tank is no exception. It's survived more than it's share of abrasive slides and rocky impacts with nary a major blemish. The 4.75 gallon size slots nicely between the 3+ gallon oversized tanks commonly available from a number of manufacturers and the 6 gallon Acerbis Sahara. With the better fuel mileage afforded by our CRF450X, even in hot-rodded form, 4.75 gallons is good for a comfortable 170 miles (with 3.91 gearing) even when the bike is ridden hard (we've managed 200+ when we really had to).

The sides of the tank replace the stock radiator shrouds and the result is a profile that is barely wider than stock. Rideability is excellent and the tank petcocks (which work in conjunction with the stock) are commendably well-designed. The stock petcock had to be replaced with a similar unit due to clearance problems and we chose to replace the fuel lines supplied with the tank with something a little more durable. Our tank came with a MDR dry brake system that we consider indespensible.

The Acerbis 4.75 gallon tank does everything we like and then some. It's light, tough and durable - beefy enough, in fact, to negate the need for radiator braces and it protects our Jagg Oil Cooler to boot. Since the tank occupies about the same space as the stock radiator shrouds we don't even bother to take it off for MXGP races - the fuel actually sits lower in the bike than stock (as long as you don't fill it all the way up). The tank is available in natural (pictured) or red and the natural finish allows one to easily and quickly determine the amount of fuel in the tank without taking off the cap. We highly recommend this product for anyone needing extended range but not wanting the intrusive bulk of the largest desert tanks.

Price Paid: $350.00 - Pocatello Power Sports

Rating: 18/18 liters - We rarely worry about running out of gas in the boonies and skipping pits has been a winning strategy for us in racing.

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